1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to transformer technology, and more particularly, to a flat high-voltage impulse transformer, which can be used in conjunction with a high-intensity discharge (HID) lamp to provide a high-magnitude pulsed voltage for use to ignite the HID lamp.
2. Description of Related Art
High-intensity discharge (HID) lamp is an advanced type of high-quality lighting equipment that can produce high quality light for interior lighting purpose. In application, an HID lamp should be coupled to a transformer-based ignitor that is capable of generating a high-magnitude pulsed voltage, typically several thousands of volts, so as to be able to ignite the HID lamp. In the HID lamp ignitor, the key component is high-voltage impulse transformer.
Conventional high-voltage impulse transformers, however, have some drawbacks. First, conventional high-voltage impulse transformers are typically bulky in size, which make them incompliant with compactness requirement. Second, the pulsed voltages generated by conventional transformers are still unsatisfactory to ignite HID lamps quickly and effectively, and therefore there is still a need for a new high-voltage impulse transformer that can provide a more effective pulsed voltage to ignite the HID lamp.
It is therefore an objective of this invention to provide a flat high-voltage impulse transformer which can be made flat in profile to make it more compact in size than prior art.
It is another objective of this invention to provide a flat high-voltage impulse transformer which is capable of generating a more effective pulsed voltage output that can ignite the HID lamp more quickly and effectively than prior art.
The flat high-voltage impulse transformer according to the invention is characterized by the use of an elongated magnetic core that is made of a magnetic material having a substantially square hysteresis loop and whose saturated flux density is at least two times greater than ferrite, and the primary winding is arranged at the middle section of the elongated magnetic core while the secondary winding is arranged at opposite sides of the primary winding on the elongated magnetic core. This feature allows the transformer of the invention to provide a better voltage transforming effect, and also allows the transformer of the invention to be made more flatted in profile to provide a compact size.